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Post by Swimmy on Feb 5, 2008 7:57:40 GMT -5
Natalee Holloway's mom rips suspectI watched that story on 20/20 last night. I can't believe this guy confessed. He even confessed to the other guy who helped him dispose of the girl's body. My biggest issue was that the mother allowed her 18 year old to travel, unsupervised, for a graduation present. My high school graduation present was a chat with my father about how I'm a man. I don't get it. Back to the new development. I would caution the Aruban Chief Prosecutor from declaring that the taped confession is admissible evidence. While his basis for the tape's admissibility is correct, it is the judge who ultimately decides whether evidence is admissible. The kid's attorney could make a convincing argument as to why it is not admissible. The Chief Prosecutor did not say it is automatically admissible, but he did say likely, which to me is about the same as saying it is. Anyone care to share their thoughts?
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Post by frankcor on Feb 5, 2008 8:24:55 GMT -5
VanDerSloot claims he was lying on the tape. How do you handle a client who repeatedly confesses to lying?
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Post by kim on Feb 5, 2008 8:33:59 GMT -5
Well, at 18 she was an adult, so she was old enough to travel unsupervised. We have people going to Iraq to fight at age 18, why not a trip to a nice, warm island? Of course, I didn't get to go anywhere when I graduated from high school. I graduated on a Friday and the next day I started training at Great American where I worked for way too long. 5 years later I finally finished college and got married, and here I am!
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Post by Clipper on Feb 5, 2008 10:53:17 GMT -5
It would be closure if she indeed was taken out to sea and dropped in the ocean as VanDersloot claims. I would hope that even without a body, that he could be prosecuted along with the one that disposed of her.
It is very sad, and the family will not have her remains to bury, but at least the truth would be known, and they could attempt to get on with their grief stricken lives. It becomes more and more evident that the boy's father's influence has interfered with this investigation for way too long.
I would not assume anything until it has been proven in a court of law, but the scenario described by the kid would suggest possibly some drug use, such as giving her Rufies or Ecstacy, and taking advantage of her, and then when she either died or was unconcious from the drugs, they dumped her body in the ocean. It is all very disgusting and sad, for such a pretty young lady to meet such a fate.
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Post by Swimmy on Feb 5, 2008 11:58:43 GMT -5
Kim,
You were responsible. How many teenagers, minus those in the military, are responsible? I know I wasn't. My first night at college was my most rebellious. Also, such a gift teaches kids to expect things to be handed to them and it teaches kids that it's ok to live outside your financial means because mommy and daddy will bail you out.
Clipper,
I agree that if this turns out to be true, it will hopefully provide some closure to the family.
While finding the body would make the prosecution's case easier, it is not a necessary piece of evidence to prove VanDersloot guilty. Remember, we prosecuted Scott Peterson successfully and Lacie's body was never found.
If the veracity of VanDersloot's statements can be verified, then there is a good chance he can be convicted of murder.
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Post by kim on Feb 5, 2008 12:20:34 GMT -5
This thread is straying, but that's ok. I'm curious, swimmy...why was your first night of college your most rebellious? I know that's common, but I don't understand why. I never have. Were you working? Did you have bills? If not, maybe that's it. I guess since I had bills to pay and I was working almost full time while going to school full time, I probably had a different mindset. I still had time to play and mess around, but I didn't go totally crazy.
When my husband and I first started dating, i was 19 and he was 24. He had just finished college and I was in my second year. We'd go away on weekend trips all the time. When I was 21 we went to Disney during spring break. Hmmmm. You know, now that I think about it, maybe that was some of the reason, too. Not only was I working a lot while going to school, and paying my own bills, but most of my friends had already finished college by then. Most of my friends were 3 or more years older than me, so that might just be it. Since I was hanging out with them I tended to go places and do things that weren't necessarily aimed at the young college crowd. I didn't get the stereotypical college experience. Which, actually for me was a good thing. I never had any interest in most of that stuff.
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Post by Swimmy on Feb 5, 2008 12:37:04 GMT -5
That's my point, you were responsible at 18. I was not. I worked part-time, but school and swimming were full-time. I did not have to fully support myself. My parents picked up the tuition where my scholarships and grant money left off. Before swim practices at college started, I had nothing to do after I finished my class work. So for about a week in the beginning of my freshman year, I went nuts.
There is a reason why college freshmen are considered "fresh-meat". One of the guys on my floor loved the fall semester because he could prey on the rebelling freshmen girls.
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Post by kim on Feb 5, 2008 13:19:28 GMT -5
My husbands 2 nieces are competitive swimmers. One is in 8th grade, and I think she's on a varsity team, but I'm not sure. The other one is in 10th grade and she's also on the varsity team. Not New Hartford, though.
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Post by Swimmy on Feb 5, 2008 16:21:08 GMT -5
Cool. What are their events?
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Post by kim on Feb 5, 2008 20:41:41 GMT -5
Their events? Ummm....they swim. LOL! I really have no idea what their events are. All I know is that they swim and I guess they are really good at it.
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Post by frankcor on Feb 5, 2008 20:43:17 GMT -5
Everyone matures at different rates. Some are responsible at 18 and some are not. And being in the military does not necessarily bestow instant responsibility upon an 18-year old either. Why, I could tell you stories ...
er ... I better check on the statute of limitations, first.
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Post by kim on Feb 5, 2008 20:45:45 GMT -5
Hahaha, Frank.
No, I know some 18 year olds that my 6 year old is more mature than. However, at the age of 18 you are technically an adult, so if an 18 year old wants to go on a vacation there is nothing a parent can do about it. Of course, the parent doesn't have to PAY for it, but if the 18 year old has the money, then they can go for it if they so desire.
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Post by Swimmy on Feb 5, 2008 21:07:20 GMT -5
True.
Frankcor,
Unless you're worried about someone enforcing a judgment against you (20 years SOL), all intentional torts have a 1-yr SOL, negligence is 3 yrs, wrongful death is 2 yrs (but the underlying tort claim must still be active), contract claims are 6 yrs, murder and rape have no SOL, most of your other crimes have a 5 yr SOL (but my memory is a little shaky, I'll verify it for you later on).
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Post by frankcor on Feb 6, 2008 19:17:04 GMT -5
Okay, thanks for the opinion. Actually, all of my misdeeds are adjudicated already, or at least handled by the non-judicial justice system employed by the armed forces.
I have several essays on my hard drive somewhere. I'll pick one out, dust it off and post it over in my introduction topic. There's no need to besmirch the Holloway name by including it here.
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Post by bobbbiez on Feb 6, 2008 21:54:53 GMT -5
swimmy, I have been in Florida, California and Jamaica during spring breaks and I can assure you that alot of parents think their kids are old enough to have good judgement in allowing them to go on vacation with their friends. I've witnessed some do and some don't have good judgement when they"re away from home and being with their peers, but that is part of being young and wanting to soar your oats. I'm sure we all have been there in our lives. I admit I did.
The point I'm trying to make is that our kids should be able to go on a vacation and return home safely. I being the mother of five kids and I do feel I am a very good mother find no harm in allowing my kids to do just that.
This poor girl just met the wrong person. It could have happened to her right in her own home town.
As far as this kid's confession even though I tend to believe he was telling parts of the truth, I'm not sure it would hold up in court. He has lied so much and admitted he was lying about what he told his friend who was taping him.
I hate to say this but I believe the Judge in this case had no other choice and made the right decision by not allowing it in as evidence. I don't believe it would be enough to convict him. Would hate to see him brought to trial on this alone and then get acquitted for not enough evidence. I'm not sure about this, and I'm sure you can let me know, but they wouldn't be able to try him again in the future. Making that mistake in itself would be a crime.
If I'm not mistaken I think they did find parts of Lacie Peterson's body and her baby, but even without that, they had other strong evidence against her husband to convict him.
Remember guys, it was his girlfriend that burned him to the stake.
Hopefully, one of VanDersloot's friends will do the same to him.
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